1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to antimicrobial mixtures containing quaternary ammonium compounds and quaternary phosphonium compounds.
2. Statement of Related Art
The use of quaternary ammonium halides as active components in antimicrobial preparations has long been known, see for example K. Lindner, Tenside-Textilhilfsmittel-Waschrohstoffe, 2nd Edition, Vol. 1, Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Stuttgart 1964, page 984 and Kirk Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Edition, Vol. 19, John Wiley & Sons, New York, Chichester; Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore, 1982, page 530. The use of quaternary phosphonium halides as bactericides and fungicides has also been known for some time, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,754/U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,380 and Chemical Abstracts, Volume 84, Report 180 392v (1976).
In the field of disinfectants and perspectives, environmental and economic factors have given rise to a need for active components and active component combinations which show adequate antimicrobial activity, even in low in-use concentrations. Not only new compounds, but also synergistic combinations of already known active components are of interest in this connection.